Where I Belong
by Waters Angel
Summary: This is sort of made after reading Cassia and Siobhan's stories. No yaoi, of course, but Aragorn and Legolas are REALLY good friends. And they just found and Elf who links Lothlorien, Rivendell, and Mirkwood togther. Meet Melyanna.
1. Default Chapter

Hi, people. I'm a new author, so I need suggestions and feedback. Of course, if you're Twisted Fool or Fire Pendant I get that already whether I want to or not. I'm kidding. Lady Pheonix Star, if you mess up Marina any more, I honestly will kill you!!!! Lol.  
  
To everyone else, I really hope you enjoy this. Also, about Daedel.he was Thranduil's youngest brother (I made this up, it's not real) and he betrayed Mirkwood and was exiled, to make a long story short.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Middle-Earth or any of Tolkien's work in any way. However, Mellonia, Celeloth, Daedel, Lingiliath, and Melyanna are mine, and I would like you to please ask if you would ever want to use them. As if you ever would, but just in case.  
  
You know, I really hate that stuff!!! It makes me sound so mature, and guess what?? I'm SO not! On with the story! Hope you like it, and review, please.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Come on," Melyanna coaxed Mellonia. "Dartho, you can make it, mellon nin!"  
  
The black panther following her shook her head in almost a human way, and whined softly.   
  
"Damn," Melyanna hissed, running over to Mellonia. "I've used too much strength already." she crouched beside her friend and the hand that gently brushed a long slash down the panther's side glowed white. The slash's bleeding slowed, and then stopped. The cut knit itself closed, and then there was no wound. Melyanna stumbled and dropped to her knees; healing tired her if she were exhausted already. If only I wasn't tired, I could heal without losing energy, Melyanna thought regretfully as she slowly got to her feet. She swayed as her keen elven ears heard the pursuing orcs come closer. She stumbled over a rock as she tried to run and warn Mellonia at the same time (A/N: Clumsy, isn't she?), and it took precious seconds to drag herself up again. By this time, Mellonia's velvety black ears had heard the orcs, too, and she took off, a sleek black shadow shooting through the tall grasses of.wherever they were. Melyanna followed as quickly as possible.  
  
She darted through the grass taller than her head, feeling more scared than she had ever felt in her 92 years. An arrow whistled by, it's fletching brushing her neck. How can anyone shoot in here?! Her mind screamed as she ran still faster. As another arrow crossed her path, she cursed her own stupidity. They chased us in here on purpose, there are orc archers hidden in the grass. They're shooting randomly, so I can't make much noise, else they'll hear me. Oh terrific.I hope Mellonia is all right.  
  
Raven black hair streamed behind her as she ran, blue eyes filled with determination. Many called Melyanna too thin. Her long, slim fingers curled around an elven bow that looked too big for her to bend, while a quiver full of white fletched arrows was strapped to her back. A small, sharp knife inscribed with elven runes hung at her belt. Light shoes shod her feet, and her step was light and swift. Rosebud lips that liked to smile were now pressed into a thin line. Pointed ears were delicate, and fragile looking. All in all, she could have been Arwen Evenstar's younger sister. Her hair was darker, her eyes were a bright sparkling blue, and her face was more heart-shaped, but there was no denying that Melyanna and Arwen looked very much alike.  
  
Small wonder, she thought, lips twisting in a wry smile. Not many knew that Celebrian had a sister, much less that the sister had a daughter. Thinking of her mother, a shadow passed over her face. Galadriel, Celeborn, Elrond, Legolas, Thranduil. none knew that Melyanna existed. No one knew what happened after Celeloth was abducted after riding outside of the Golden Wood.but Melyanna did.  
  
She knew that Celeloth was captured by Daedel, who was riding in the same area after his exile. She knew that Celeloth was raped. She knew that a child had been conceived of that rape. And she knew that "child" was her.  
  
Daedel, her mind screamed at the name. Your father, the traitorous part of her head cackled.  
  
"No." The word slipped from her mouth before she could stop it. Yes, the voice insisted, whispering back to her. Accept it. She shook her head, she would never accept that, and set her mind on what had happened next; Daedel was a topic that was never welcome in her mind.  
  
Celeloth had found out that Daedel planned to take over Mirkwood. She pleaded with him. In a blind rage, he'd meant to frighten her by cutting off her air for a few seconds. He had "frightened" her too long.she had died without ever seeing the bright shores of Valinor, the Golden Wood, her mother, father, sister, or daughter again.  
  
Melyanna had run off, while Daedel was asleep, by bribing the guards. She'd found a cave.and an elf, who called himself Lingiliath. She'd been 72 then. Lingiliath had taken care of her, taught her how to shoot and fight. Melyanna trusted him, and kept nothing about her past from him. They'd found a half-drowned panther cub that they raised, and named "Mellonia" after two elvish words: mellon nin. My friend. Thinking of Mellonia, Melyanna smiled. "Dartho, I'm coming," she whispered.  
  
All of a sudden, there was no more grass to run through. Melyanna blinked as the sun hit her eyes that had been shielded by the grass' shadows. As the sunspots cleared from her eyes, she gulped. Elven archers dotted the trees in the woods ahead, and half of them had tense bows trained on Mellonia.  
  
"Don't!" Melyanna screamed. "Iston you feel hostile about wild animals, but she isn't wild exactly, but...not tame exactly either...." She shook her head in frustration. She was surprised when she heard a light laugh.  
  
"She sounds as you do when you try to explain the impossible, Estel," an elf smiled as he stepped out of the woods. An annoyed voice answered him.  
  
"I'm sure," it said sourly, "that she has a much better reason."  
  
Melyanna didn't hear the rest. Her head swam as adrenaline rushed away, and fatigue took its place. Then all she knew was blackness.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Legolas watched as the elf that had defended the panther suddenly drop to the ground. He also saw the panther leap towards her, and without thinking, he loosed his nocked arrow. But the impossible happened, and the cat dodged. Legolas blinked in surprise. His whole body tensed as the cat ran up to the elf.and gently licked her face.  
  
Ok! I hope you people like that chapter, and if you didn't I'm really sorry. But review anyways, ok? I need to know what you think of this fic, and if I should continue it. Thanks! ~*Water's Angel*~ 


	2. A Bit of the Past

Hey, I'm back! I hope you read Cassia's stories because they are SO AWESOME. Anyway, if you ARE done with Cassia's stories, go read Fire Pendant's! Ya, she's one of my best friends, but her stories are really good. Also, in this chapter, note that Mellonia talks to the elves. As elves can hear trees, I couldn't see why they shouldn't be able to communicate with animals as well. Of course, the animal chooses who hears them.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Middle-Earth or any of Tolkien's work in any way. However, Mellonia, Celeloth, Daedel, Lingiliath, and Melyanna are mine, and I would like you to please ask if you would ever want to use them. As if anyone would, but just in case.  
  
As I said, I hate that. On with the story! ~*Water's Angel*~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thranduil paced around his chambers as Legolas sat in an overstuffed chair, watching him.  
  
"I don't understand it!" the King cried for the umpteenth time. "That girl looks so much like Celeloth, it's uncanny!" They both glanced at the young elf that lay on the Elvenking's own bed. "What color are her eyes, hazel like Celeloth's?"  
  
"Father," Legolas spoke gently. "Perhaps you would tell me who Celeloth was?"  
  
"She was Celebrian's twin sister, though her hair was dark, and Celebrian's was golden, like Galadriel's," Thranduil sighed. "Could have been Luthien Tinuviel's twin."  
  
"But Arwen..."  
  
"Arwen looks like Celeloth and Luthien both. Why do you think Celebrian very nearly burst into tears when she saw the newborn Arwen? Oh, that's right, you were only an elfling yourself. Arwen looked almost the same as her sister did, the sister that she lost years ago. They were bonded quite strongly, and after everyone else gave up hope that Celeloth was still alive, Celebrian insisted that she was. But years later, while Elrond, Arwen, the twins, and herself were visiting Lorien, she suddenly screamed and held her hands to her throat, as if she couldn't breathe. After a few minutes, when she could finally speak again, she whispered these words: 'She's gone. Oh, Celeloth is gone...she gave up....' And after that she broke into hysterical sobs."  
  
Here, Thranduil's face creased with worry lines. "That girl reminds me of Celeloth so much.so much.while Arwen looks like Celeloth a great deal, Celeloth's face was more heart-shaped....like hers." He nodded towards the girl.  
  
A low moan startled them both. "Where-----?" a light, musical voice asked as the elf-maiden sat up. Her eyes widened as she saw the crown on Thranduil's head. "King Thranduil! We are in Mirkwood?"  
  
"We?" Legolas questioned from the chair. He had been too comfortable to get up.  
  
"There were two?"  
  
"Mellonia," the girl said, sleep-filled eyes searching around the room. "Where is she? The panther?"  
  
A loud feline wail outside the window startled them all, and a pair of glowing green eyes could be seen. The elf-maiden sighed. "I suppose she answered my question. Could you let her in? I fear she would do damage to your palace."  
  
Thranduil walked quickly over to the window, and the panther sprang lightly in. She leapt onto the bed in a fluid movement, and curled up into a ball next to the girl.  
  
"It's getting dark," the Elvenking muttered, and lighted a lamp. In the lamplight, he could see that the elf's eyes were a bright sparkling blue that could rival those of himself or Legolas, not hazel like he had thought them to be. "Child, what is your name, and where is your family?"  
  
Melyanna's eyes were immediately cast downwards, and her lips trembled slightly. "My name is Melyanna," she whispered. "I have no family. My mother was murdered by one I will not name. I...I have no father." She choked over the last few words, and a lone tear streaked down her cheek.  
  
Legolas raised an eyebrow. Melyanna? He thought. "Dear gift"? Who would name her "dear gift" if she has no family?  
  
Thranduil sat on the bed next to her, and gently lifted her chin up until she was looking him straight in the eye. "I must know, who was your mother? Does the name 'Celeloth' mean anything to you?"  
  
Melyanna stiffened. How could the powerful king of Mirkwood know her mother? Her heart ached as she remembered Celeloth, her beauty, her hope that everything would turn out all right. "M-my m-mother was Cele..." she couldn't go on. Heartache throbbed as she pulled away from Thranduil and buried her face in Mellonia's soft fur. She cried hard, but softly. Anyone who was not quiet enough for Daedel was severely beaten with a whip he had taken from an orc he had killed. The elves under his control had had to learn to keep their voices lower than low, and train their ears to hear the tiniest of whispers.  
  
Thranduil's eyes went wide with shock, though he had half expected this. "By the Valar," he breathed as he clutched a bedpost to keep himself from collapsing. "We thought we had lost her years ago..." Melyanna was too choked on tears to tell him that indeed, she had died years ago. Had he not been listening when she said that her mother was murdered?  
  
Legolas was surprised, too. "Melyanna, who is your father?" he asked gently, not wanting her to suffer anymore.  
  
"I have no father," she snapped, harsher than she intended. "I will never accept him."  
  
Seeing that he had prodded too hard, Legolas backed down. Indeed, he himself had been like that for quite a while after a traumatic event of his own.  
  
Watching her telltale eyes, Thranduil easily read the emotions that flickered through. Pain was there, laced with anger.and the undercurrent to it all was fear. The Elvenking didn't know that Daedel tortured Celeloth and her daughter regularly, and that Melyanna feared that Daedel's brother might be the same.  
  
~You need sleep,~ Mellonia's voice rang through Melyanna's head.  
  
"No, I'm fine," she replied, though she knew that was a lie. Her head had started swimming again, and spots danced before her eyes.  
  
"Who are you talking to?" Legolas inquired. Melyanna ignored him; Mellonia was talking.  
  
~Elfling, do not think that these new elves do not see your weariness. If I can, they certainly do.~  
  
" I'm older than you are, panther cub. And no, I'm not tired at all," Melyanna yawned.  
  
~Yes, of course. Then why were you yawning?~  
  
Mellonia regarded Thranduil with cool, level green eyes.  
  
~Put her to bed,~ She ordered, never mind that he was a king. ~She is exhausted. Surely you, a king among elves, can see that?~  
  
The Elvenking started. So that's who had been talking to Melyanna! "Yes," he agreed. "I see that she is tired. She may sleep here. Come, Legolas, I must speak with you."  
  
They went out of the room, and with one hand on Mellonia's silky fur, Melyanna drifted into a light, shallow sleep that rested her not at all. But this was how she had slept for almost her entire life, fearing Daedel's wrath.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As his bed was occupied, and he wasn't the tired in the least, Thranduil sat by Melyanna for quite a long time that night. Mellonia had left; they had given her a stall in the stable which she didn't mind, and the elven horses had been calmed with sweet words.  
  
After a while, Melyanna gasped sharply in her sleep. She seemed to be having a nightmare. Thranduil made as if to wake her, but then stopped. If she said anything in her sleep, if she gave them any clue of who her father was, they might be able to find him. Surely he couldn't be as bad as the girl thought he was!  
  
"No!" Melyanna cried as the whip came down yet again, cutting through her thin shirt and coming away bloody.  
  
"Then you recognize me as your rightful father?" Daedel's voice purred from somewhere above her head.  
  
"Never," Melyanna ground out through gritted teeth.  
  
"Then pay the price," he growled.  
  
Melyanna's breath came quick and fast, catching in her throat. "No father would treat their daughter as you are," She gasped out through the pain.  
  
"They would. It is called discipline, young elfling. I see your mother has let you grow as you please. I will not. My father did, leaving me room for rebellion. You will have no such chance."  
  
"Damn you," Melyanna muttered under her breath, thinking that Daedel wouldn't hear. (A/N: In this particular dream, she would be about the elven equivalent of seven, but being raised in a rough place has taught her things innocent little seven-year-olds shouldn't know. Out of the dream she would be about 12.)  
  
All of a sudden the whip stopped coming. "What did you say?" Daedel's voice was a soft, deadly, lethal whisper.  
  
"Nothing," she swallowed hard, knowing what was coming next. Worse pain.  
  
"I think, my 'daughter', that you shall be the first that I will test my new whip on. Don't you feel privileged to help your father, child?"  
  
"Daedel, I will never accept you as my father, even after I enter the Halls of Mandos because of you and your insanity! Never!"  
  
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Whew, ok! That took a while. Hope you enjoyed! I hate torture a lot, so I most certainly won't go into detail. Review, PLEASE! And did I tell you people about Mitzachiru? She's my muse, about four years old, and really sweet. More later! ~*Water's Angel*~ 


	3. Lingiliath, Star Song

Ok! More about Mitzachiru. As I said, she's about four years old. She's a Noldor elf, and she gives me lots of ideas for sweet moments. The torture parts I come up with myself (and Twisted Fool and Fire Pendant), and I borrow some ideas from Cassia and Siobhan. They are such wonderful people!!!! Go read their stories!!! Disclaimer: I do not own Middle-Earth or any of Tolkien's work in any way. However, Mellonia, Celeloth, Daedel, Lingiliath, and Melyanna are mine, and I would like you to please ask if you would ever want to use them. As if anyone would, but just in case.  
  
Also, I forgot to tell you people what the Elves' names mean.  
  
Melyanna-Dear gift  
  
Celeloth-Silver Flower  
  
Daedel-Shadow Horror  
  
Lingiliath-Star song  
  
Ok! All good. Patience is a virtue I have not learned to cultivate, so I hate that stuff.the disclaimer, I mean. On to the story!! Finally! ~*Water's Angel*~  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A very pale Thranduil stumbled down the hall to Legolas' room, his eyes still wide with shock. Daedel could not possibly be this elfling's father! Celeloth had always been wary of him since their first meeting. What did this mean?  
  
"L-Legolas," he rasped, finding his throat hoarse as he knocked on his son's bedroom door. "Legolas."  
  
"Father?" the prince inquired, sleep-filled eyes taking in his father's unusually ruffled state. He tried to smooth his tussled hair. "What's wrong?"  
  
As Thranduil explained, Legolas' eyes got wider and wider. "Daedel?" he finally managed. "Impossible! We must ask Melyanna more questions.but we can't push her. It's obviously a very hard subject for her."  
  
~Hm, talking behind her back? Not very polite, now, are you?~ Mellonia's voice rang through their heads. She had jumped in through the prince's open window. She curled up into a chair. ~Now, what is it that you need to know? But mind, I only know what happened after she met Lingiliath----~  
  
She was cut off as Legolas practically ricocheted from his chair. "Lingiliath?!"  
  
~*Flashback*~  
  
Legolas laughed as Lingiliath faked a fall from the topmost branch of their favorite climbing tree. Their father scowled, but his eyes smiled. "Legolas, what kind of example to your younger brother are you?"  
  
"Aw, Ada we're only 5 days off from being twins," Lingiliath protested.  
  
"But, LITTLE brother, don't you enjoy being doted on?" Legolas snickered. He dodged a blow that would have hit his head. "Dear, dear, so violent..."  
  
And if you turned around to see me, and I was gone,  
You should have looked outside your window,  
'cause the sun was coming up...  
---Michelle Branch, Tuesday Morning, from her new album "Hotel Paper  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Legolas shook his head hard, tears stinging his eyes. That had been two days before Lingilath had disappeared. He had been proclaimed dead, and Legolas had always believed him dead. This could not be possible.  
  
~Have I struck a nerve on accident?~ Mellonia asked, green eyes narrowing.  
  
Thranduil rubbed a hand over his face. This was getting altogether too confusing. "If he is alive, where is he now?"  
  
Legolas' abrupt question startled them all.  
  
~We split up when the orcs attacked~ Mellonia answered. ~We were to meet in Mirkwood, though Lingiliath was a bit tentative at the suggestion.~  
  
At the edges of the forest, a cloaked figure slowly crept towards the palace.  
  
Hehe, I know that was a bit odd, and definitely SHORT, but review anyways! Please! I will do ANYTHING! Thank you! I love you, all the people who did! I haven't been able to get on the computer very often since of a virus called "BLAST", but it's fixed! So I'm happy!  
  
Also, you can e-mail me with suggestions if you want. WatersAngel2@yahoo.com. Ok! Bye! ~*Water's Angel*~ 


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